Josiah (“Jr.”), referred to herein as Josiah, was born in 1835 in Groton CT. He was the son of Josiah Chester (Sr.) (AM0947) (1797-June 9, 1853) and Ursula (Darrow) Chester (1806-1851). Beyond these bare facts, the rest of his personal life is murky, in large part because on confusion with his father, also Josiah Chester, also a whaling master (AM0947). The information below is drawn from public sources, including Ancestry.com and Find A Grave, not always accurate.
The most likely scenario is that he married Mary Frances Perkins, born about 1836. They had two children: Ophelia (5/1/1853-1932) and Hester (Hettie)(1865-4/13/1866). The 1860 census for Groton shows Josiah as age 24 (“mariner”) and Mary Frances, age 23, and Ophelia, age 7. Groton birth records show the birth of Frances, child of Josiah and Mary F. Chester on July 2, 1864. The 1865 city directory for New London shows “Capt” Josiah living at 25 Main St., occupation “mariner.” Mary died on October 12, 1865 at age 29. Josiah died three months later, on January 10, 1866 in Groton at age 36. They are buried side by side in matching gravestones in the Starr Burying Ground in Groton.
Josiah was master of one voyage on one ship with New London as home port:
TELEGRAPH (AS2477): (sloop, 62 tons, length 57’, built in New London in 1852). Sailed to the Indian Ocean on May 28, 1863 with Josiah as master and three crew members. No return date is shown. Neither Colby nor Decker showsthis voyage. Starbuck shows one ship named TELEGRAPH, home port Sag Harbor NY and sailing dates for many years before 1863. This voyage must be drawn in question. AV13737
Josiah was master of two other ships with home ports other than New London:
FRANCIS (or FRANCES) (AS1399): (brig, 114 tons, lost at Magdalena Bay, Mexico in 1858). Its home port was San Francisco CA. Sailed in January 1855 for the Pacific, returned in 1856. Josiah left the ship under circumstances not discovered and was replaced by —Browser (AM0636). G.B. Post & Co. was the agent. AV05163.
FRANK (AS1404): (schooner 200 tons). Its home port was Mystic CT. Sailed on June 18, 1858 for Desolation Island where, according to Starbuck, the ship was lost when striking an iceberg in February 1859, and the mate, Charles Francis, was lost. Charles Mallory was the agent. AV05192.
AOWV suggests that Josiah was replacement master of one other ship:
E.B. PHILLIPS (AS0426): (bark, 80 tons, condemned and sold in Cape Verde in 1865). Sailed on August 22, 1868 for the Indian Ocean, returned on May 16, 1871). The initial master was Christopher Chapel (AM0885) who died in St. Helena on October 20, 1870 during this voyage. AOWV shows as replacement master “Chester”, identified by AOWV as AM0948, the number for Josiah. However, Josiah Jr. died in 1866, before the death of Capt. Chapel. The identity of the replacement master cannot be determined. Williams & Haven was the agent. AV03908.
Before starting has career as a whaling ship captain, Josiah sailed as a crew member on two voyages on LARK (AS1770), home port New London, on its 1853-1857 and 1857-1860 voyages.
Sources used: see sidebar and sources cited in text.
George Shaw
American Institute for Maritime Studies
Mystic Seaport Museum
November 2024